Building construction



L. WALTHERS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 4, 1951 Patented Oct. 18, 1,932

LAWRENCE WALTEERS, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Application filed September 4, 1931. Serial No. 561,281.

This invention aims to provide a novel means for holding together the parts of partitions and the like, in portable steel buildings, especially those of temporary construction, although the device may be used in permanent buildings. The invention aimsto pro vide a structure of the class described, whereby inclosures for parks, for fur ranches and the like, may be constructed conveniently wlthout great expense, the device being useful, also, for bill boards, and similar structures.

The invention has, as one of its objects, the provision of means for holding a facing in place, without resorting to the use of bolts or other securing devices, which mar the facing and prevent its repeated use, or at least callfor machine work, careful fitting, and increased labor in the operation of assembly.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proc eeds, the invention resides in the combinatlon and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows in horizontal section, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the wall-forming members; and

Figure 3 is a perspective'view of one of the battens.

In carrying out the invention, there is pro- 3 projecting from the longitudinal edges of.

the back, the end plates preferably being disposed at right anglesto the back. The end plates 3 are provided upon their edges with wings 4 which extend toward each other, the wings being short, and being located approximately parallel to the back 2. There is a space 5 of considerable extent, between the inner edges of the wings 4.

Openings 6 are formed in the end plates 3 of the wall-forming members 1, and in these openings, tightening devices 7, such as bolts, are mounted, to hold the end plate 3 of one forming member closely adjacent to the end plate of an adjoining wall-forming member, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. F ac ings 8 are placed against the outer surfaces of the wings 4 and extend across the spaces 5. The facings 8 cooperate with the wallforming members 1 to form compartments 9 which, if desired, may be filled with soundproof material, and the facings 8 may be made of sound-deadening material, if desired, although these details will dependupon the nature of the structure in which the invention is embodied. The sound-proofmaterial in the compartments 9 is not shown in the drawing, because its use is well understood, and a contractor may be relied upon to supply soundproof material wherever the same is necessary or desired.

Metal battens 10 are provided, and the same are T-shaped in cross section, each batten comprising a body 11, and a flange 12 projecting from the body, at right angles to the body, and located intermediate the longitudinal edges of the body;

The bolts 7 are tightened up, so that the space between the end plates 3 of the wallforming members 1 is such that, when the flange 12 of the batten 10 is driven forcibly between the end plates 3, the end plates will have a tight frictional hold on the flange of the batten, the batten thus being held in place so without resorting to the use ofbolts or any other securing elements. The flange 12 of the batten 10 passes between the edges of the'facings 8, and the body of the batten overlaps the outersurface of the facings, to hold them 9 in place, as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. The flange of another batten, marked by the numeral 1 1, is driven between the end plates 3 at the back of the structure, the body of the batten 14 overlapping the backs 2 of the wall-formin members 1. This batten .14 holds the end p ates 3 of the wallforming members 1 in the position shown in Figure 1 0i the drawing, and prevents the wall-forming members from tilting on the tightening devices 7 and causing the end plates 3 to release their tight frictional hold on the. flange 12 of the batten 10.

The structure described is simple in construction, but it will be found thoroughly efii cient in the construction of any of the structures specified in the opening portion of this specification, and in many other structures which will suggest themselves readily to any one skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is 1. In a structure of the class described, wall-forming members each comprising a back, forwardly extended end plates at the 1 longitudinal edges of the back, and inwardly extended wings at the forward longitudinal edges of the end plates and overhanging the back, there being a space between the inner longitudinal edges of the Wings, facings supported on the outer surface of the wings of adjoining Wall-forming members and extending across said spaces, a T-shaped batten comprising a. body and a flange projecting from the body, the body overlapping the outer surface of adjoining facings at one side of the structure, the flange being frictionally held between the end plates of adjoining wallforming members, a tightening device connecting said end plates to cause them to have the aforesaid frictional hold on the flange,

and a spacer frictionally held between said end plates, at the opposite side of the structure, and preventing the wall-forming members from tilting on the tightening device and causing the end plates to lose their frictional hold on the flange.

2. The structure of claim 1, further characterized by the fact that the spacer is T-shaped,

including a body and a flange projecting from the body, the body of the spacer overlapping the backs of adjoining wall-forming members, and the flange of the spacer being interposed between the end plates.

In testimony that I ,claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

LAWRENCE WALTHERS. 

